Edward Snowden made off with 1.7 million files, says Pentagon report

Edward Snowden, the former government contractor who exposed the National Security Agency’s surveillance programs, downloaded 1.7 million files from U.S. intelligence, according to a classified Pentagon report. The findings lead Rep. Mike Rogers to say that Snowden's actions have put American troops in greater harm.

Lawmakers said that the report shows that the release of these files could put the military at risk, reports The Washington Post. They also said that the files show military operations that are going on now.

“This report confirms my greatest fears -- Snowdens real acts of betrayal place America’s military men and women at greater risk,” Rogers said, notes the AFP. Rogers is the House Intelligence Committee chairman and made his comments in a joint statement with Democrat Dutch Ruppersberger, who is also on the committee.

Snowden’s actions “are likely to have lethal consequences for our troops in the field,” Rogers added.

Rogers also told the Associated Press that most of the documents are related to military operations, not the NSA. “Clearly, given the scope and the types of information, I have concerns about operations that would be ongoing in Afghanistan,” he said.

Snowden is currently in Moscow, where he has temporary asylum. He recently told the Washington Post that he considers his mission accomplished. Most of the documents he took that have been published deal with the NSA and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald said that “the overwhelming majority” of the documents Snowden showed him dealt with the NSA.